Sebastien Haller: West Ham sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker for club record £45m

Sebastien Haller: West Ham sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker for club record £45m

Sebastien Haller was part of the Eintracht team that finished seventh in the Bundesliga and reached the Europa League semi-finals last season

West Ham have signed striker Sebastien Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt in a club record deal worth up to £45m.

The 25-year-old former France under-21 international has signed a five-year deal with the option of a further 12 months.

Haller, who is West Ham’s fourth summer signing, scored 20 goals in 41 games for the German side last season.

The deal eclipses the £36m fee paid by the Hammers for Brazilian Felipe Anderson in 2018.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity for me to be here,” said Haller.

“It means a lot [to be record signing]. I felt this desire to sign me and I’m really happy to sign. It is an ambitious club, a nice club, a nice city and nice fans too.

“For me I can guarantee that I will give 100% for the club because the club has given me this confidence and I will try to give it back every day in every game.

“I know it’s a big transfer and there is a lot of expectation around me, and I just want to make people proud of this transfer and I will give everything I have.”

Haller was one of the Bundesliga’s most impressive strikers last season

Haller has scored 33 goals in 77 appearances in two years at Bundesliga club Eintracht, who he joined from Dutch side Utrecht, where he scored 51 times in 98 games.

He reinforces West Ham’s forward line following the departures of strikers Lucas Perez, Marko Arnautovic and Andy Carroll this summer.

Haller will join up with the rest of the West Ham squad when they return from the pre-season Premier League Asia Trophy in China.

“He is at the perfect moment for us, like many of the players who have arrived at the club in the past 12 months – young, with his best years still ahead of him, yet with good experience and proven at the highest level,” said West Ham director of football Mario Husillos.